Hidden
by Silverlaugh
Summary: The Lady of the Western Land has a hard exterior; could she ever truly feel pain?


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**A/N: Just to let you guys know, i will be posting some of my entries from the IY Fanfic contest to fanfiction every week or so. They're a mixture of oneshots and drabbles. This is a oneshot called Hidden and i hope you all like it!**

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She had everything. She had all she ever wanted, all she was ever owed; power, status, and respect. She held her head high in the heat of battle and in the end was always victorious. She sat, dignified, on her throne, alongside her mate. Creatures of all kinds cringed in fear in her presence and those foolish enough to question her were mercilessly and, with pleasure evident in her smile, disposed of.

She was the Lady of the Western Lands. And everything was going her way, until a fatal rumor reached her ears.

The Lady stood, eyeing her guests as it grew later at an annual ball she was hosting and searched silently for her mate. The room was in uproar, a bit too noisy for her tastes. With one last sip of her drink, she dropped the wine glass to the floor, eyes pasted on the whispering servants and as she did so. Glass met tile in a horrendous sound and the untouched red contents stained the ground like blood on the battlefield. The music paused and heads turned in time to see the hem of the Lady's kimono disappearing through a door. She walked down a hall, probing the air for Inutaisho's scent as she did so. But instead, she found someone else's.

In a moment, silver hair too much like her own appeared and Sesshomaru came into her view. He kept a slow pace and was walking in a calm manner, but she could tell he'd been searching for her; that was evident in the annoyed look held by his eyes. They met halfway and Sesshomaru paused by his mother's shoulder. Neither turned, neither moved, neither made an attempt at eye contact as the young youkai spoke.

"Where are you headed mother?" She smiled coldly.

"It that concern I hear?"

"Mere curiosity." His tone was flat, uninterested, and contradictory to his statement.

"You and I both know full well you already possess the answer to your question. So, why ask it?" Sesshomaru said nothing. He simply cut a glance at the woman as she smirked. "Do you wish to see your mother squirm?"

"Such would be a pleasure unheard of." She chuckled darkly and brushed a strand of her silver hair back into place.

"Such a cruel child." At the comment, Sesshomaru resumed walking down the hallway. His footsteps echoed in her ears before his words reach them.

"Like mother like son, I suppose." Then he was gone. With a last look in the boy's director, she continued her search for his father. And it wasn't long before she caught his scent.

"Inutaisho." She said as she stepped onto a balcony. The powerful youkai turned and acknowledged his wife.

"What is it you require?"

"Consolidation." He laughed dryly, and turned his attention back over the balcony. She'd always been theatrical, and he knew this was not the true reason she was here. He could feel as her eyes burned holes through the darkness of the night and also, the back of his armor.

"Pertaining to what, may I ask?"

"Rumor has it you've taken fancy to a young mortal by the name of the Izayoi." But the conversation was futile and she knew it; they both knew it. There was no doubt, no question in her words, she knew they were true. In fact, faint traces of the human princess's scent still clung desperately to his body. The air around them grew heavy and tension wrapped itself around the couple. Inutaisho clicked his tongue.

"I would have thought it above you to delve in such meaningless talk." Her tone remained cold and uninterested while her tongue was almost as sharp as her claws.

"And I would have thought it above you to succumb to such weakness." Inutaisho visibly flinched. He grabbed the railing of the balcony in shame and sighed.

"And, what might you make of all this?" She turned her back to him and started towards the door.

"This is nothing but a minor set back, a small, insignificant hindrance in my plan."

"A plan concerning what?" Her hand wrapped itself around the cool metal knob of the door and she paused.

"Supreme conquest." Inutaisho chuckled, a sound laced with hate and pity.

"You sound like Sesshomaru." She opened the door and stepped through.

"Indeed, he is my son." And as she walked down the deserted halls, her mind was not, surprisingly, at ease. Every drop of blood pulsing through her veins was filled with calm contempt. But why should she care if he gave his heart to mortal? Such weaknesses were of no concern to her. And yet her heart burned in a hatred blacker than the night's sky, her body trembled slightly in anger, and a bitter taste overtook her mouth when she realized she was showing all of this.

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_An odd thing about rumors, _

she thought darkly as she reached the end of the hallway. _____Sometimes they are indeed true._


End file.
